Balance Rock puts Berkshires on the map

12:00AM / Wednesday, August 14, 2002Print Story | Email Story

When I first moved to Pittsfield, about 10 years ago, I dug out a map, the kind they used to give away at the gas stations for free (in fact, I think this map was relic of those days). The simple road map didn't have much detail on it, just the main streets, the airport, state forests â€” and a place called "Balanced Rock." Balance (or Balanced) Rock was basically the only Pittsfield attraction the mapmaker thought worth spending ink on. When I asked about it, people told me that Balance Rock was famous, a geological curiosity and fodder for authors and poets. People who grew up in the Berkshires told me about family walks and picnics at Balance Rock. Eventually, I visited The Rock myself. Some friends and I parked just off the street, and trudged a little road, sometimes paved sometimes not, until we saw a graffiti-covered boulder in a little clearing. It really is a big rock that is balanced, stuck really, on a smaller rock. It looks like anyone could lean on it, or bump it, and tip it over (kind of like Clark Griswold at Stonehenge in one of those "Vacation" movies). Rock on You can climb on the rock and sit. Or, you can crawl under it, and wonder if this 165-ton hunk of limestone will choose this particular moment to become unbalanced. In his most bizarre novel, Herman Melville spends a lot of time, nearly a whole chapter, on Balance Rock (he was living in Pittsfield at the time he wrote Pierre). In the book, Pierre does crawl under the rock and the experience inspires some intense metaphysical wanderings. The rock, in fact, plays a pivotal (pun intended, I admit), role for Pierre, who is never quite the same after discovering his "Memnon Stone." "It was shaped something like a lengthened egg, but flattened more; and at the ends, pointed more; and yet not pointed, but irregularly wedge-shaped...[balanced on] that one obscure and minute point of contact...it was a breathless thing to see...It might well have been the wonder of the whole country around." I wish I could say that I shared Pierre's entrancement during my visit, but I didn't. I thought it was kind of interesting, but kind of pedestrian. A nice rock in a clearing, with a little trash can next to it. Oh yeah, with the inescapable graffiti. Bring your own spray can I'll never understand graffiti. What are they thinking? "I think I'll deface someone else's property or a natural landmark with paint. Yeah, that would be cool. But I can't tell anyone I did it, unless I put my super-secret tag, which only other vandals will be able to understand." The weirdest part of graffiti is that it always seems illegible. I've never been able to read any of it, except for a few nonsense phrases or swears. If you're going to write on a rock, why not write something worth reading? But they don't. I guess the bottom line is that they have nothing to say. Graffiti is nothing new, though. When Melville's Pierre took a close look at the Rock, he found that someone, possibly Solomon himself, had already carved his initials into it, ruining Pierre's illusion that he had discovered the thing. I visited the Rock again last week, this time after hiking in the nearby Pittsfield State Forest and at Balance Rock State Park itself. The Rock seems to be very popular with families. I went on a weekday evening and I saw bicyclers and RV and some motorcycle tourists at the site. There are some nice walking trails around the rock, including loop around the Rock itself. Since the Rock abuts Pittsfield State Forest, you can spend a whole day hiking in the area and sit in the shade of Balance Rock as a rest stop, which is what I did recently. I think this is a better choice than simply visiting the Rock. After a long afternoon of walking in the forest, the geological wonder has more impact, and is more likely to inspire, like Pierre, some metaphysical wanderings. As for me, I simply enjoyed the rest, enjoyed the creepy feeling of sitting under the rock and thought about how pathetic graffiti taggers are. Waxing metaphysical just gives me a headache.

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Friday Front Porch Feature: A Charming House Like New

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
06:57PM / Friday, December 19, 2025

The home prior to renovations.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Are you looking for a newly renovated home with great space? Then this might be the perfect fit for you!

Our Friday Front Porch is a weekly feature spotlighting attractive homes for sale in Berkshire County. This week, we are showcasing 100 Autumn Drive.

This three-bedroom, two-bathroom split level was built in 1965 and is 1,396 square feet on 0.32 acres.

The house was completely renovated recently. It includes a one-car garage, and comes with appliances including a dishwasher and stove/oven, and other major appliances.

The house is listed for $359,500.

We spoke with owners Michael Zeppieri and Chris Andrews, who did the renovations. Zeppieri is an agent with Alton and Westall Real Estate Agency.

What was your first impression when you walked into the home?

Zeppieri: I purchased this home to do a full renovation flip and saw tremendous potential in this mid-century split level home that had not been updated since it was built in the 1960s, in a great North Adams neighborhood.

Andrews: The house was a much different house when we first purchased it in 2022 (photo attached is from about 2010.) The interior was painted all in dark colors and we brightened it up with neutral colors. The transformation makes you feel like you are in a totally different house.

What were the recent renovations, any standout design features?

Zeppieri: The house has had a complete reconfiguration including new kitchen with high-end appliances, ceramic tiled baths, hardwood floors, new windows and roof ... just to name a few. All a buyer has to do is move in and enjoy.

Andrews: Yes, we renovated the entire house. New windows, new roof, all new custom black gutter system, new blacktop driveway, hardwood floors were installed through out the house. New kitchen and bathrooms as well as painting the exterior and interior of the house. New paver patio in the back yard.

What kind of buyer would this home be ideal for?

Zeppieri: The buyer for this home could be a first-time homebuyer or a retiree ... the location is close to attractions in North Adams ... and the property is located in Autumn Heights, which is a very small residential development with several long-term owners.

Andrews: This home is truly ideal for a variety of buyers. Whether a first-time homebuyer, a small family or even someone looking to downsize from a larger home.

What do you think makes this property stand out in the current market?

Zeppieri: The location, price and move-in condition of this home make it a true market leader in the North Adams Market.

Andrews: This house is completely renovated and in a desirable location of North Adams. The natural light in the home really makes the interior pop. And with all the upgrades the home stays quite cool in the summer months.

Do you know any unique stories about the home or its history?

Zeppieri: This home was built for the Gould family in 1969 and they lived there till 2010. It was always a family home during that time in which the Goulds had two children ... and Virgina Gould managed Mohawk Forest Apartments and was a very active resident of North Adams.

Andrews: Built in about 1965.

What do the current owners love about this home?

Zeppieri: As the current owner it was a fun project to transform this home and get it ready for its next adventure with a new family to enjoy for many years.

Andrews: No one has lived in the house since we purchased the home. The new owners would be the first to live in the house since the renovations have been completed.

What would you say to a buyer trying to imagine their life in this space?

Andrews: I would suggest seeing the house either on a sunny day or at twilight to really get a vision of how special the home feels.

You can find out more about this house on its listing here.

*Front Porch Feature brings you an exclusive to some of the houses listed on our real estate page every week. Here we take a bit of a deeper dive into a certain house for sale and ask questions so you don't have to.

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